Soulmates
by TheDaringInferno
Summary: Harry loved his soulmate more than anything else. It didn't matter if they didn't love him back. Harry would offer them his love in return.


The first thing Harry learned how to read were his words. As much as Aunt Petunia hated him ( _especially when he called her Aunt Petunia)_ and as much as Uncle Vernon shouted at him they still told him what his words were. Aunt Petunia didn't like his words. She and Uncle Vernon would tell him to cover them so no one else could ever see them.

He often traced the delicately curled letters that wrapped around his wrist. They'd been so hard to read when he first learned them, too squiggly and curling in on themselves. Now he knew them by heart. _I'm sorry._ What did his soulmate have to be sorry about? Harry should be sorry. He was useless and even his soulmate thought so. His second words proved it.

They changed as everyone's did and reading them was hard. His soulmate used a lot of fancy words and they were as curly as his first words. But he knew what some of them meant. He knew what _hate_ and _kill_ and _I wish you had died meant_. His soulmate hated him, just as everyone else did. It wasn't a surprise. He was a little freak after all. No one loved him, not even the person who was _supposed_ to. Not his parents, not his soulmate, not anyone.

Sometimes Harry would trace his second words as they flourished across his legs. Read the growing death threats and declarations of hate. At least this proved it. He was a _freak_. Not even worthy of a soulmate's love.

* * *

Tom Riddle had learned to hide his words early on. His first words were normal enough, if not a bit silly. _You're tall._ His soulmate must be so short, Tom wasn't much taller than the other boys in the orphanage. However it was his second words that had Mrs. Cole making sure that Tom's sleeves reached well down his arms. There was a distinct theme to his second words, a steady stream of apologies. _I'm sorry_ and _Please don't hate me_ and _I can be better._ Why was his soulmate apologizing?

He knew he hadn't met the other yet, his words were still the deep black of uncertainty. So unlike the faded white of Mrs. Cole and the deep red of one of the doctors that frequented the orphanage. So why was his soulmate apologizing already? Surely they'd done nothing he couldn't forgive. He just wanted someone to love him. They loved him, that much was clear, from the little declarations of love that tumbled down his arms every few days. And he loved his soulmate already.

He couldn't wait to meet them.

* * *

Harry tugged nervously on the edge of his pants, trying to make them cover his second words. He'd made sure not to let any of the boys in the dorm see his second words. They didn't need to know how much of a freak he was. But his pants were ripped and Tom Riddle could _see_. His soulmate could see his words as they streaked across his skin as they stood in the Chamber. Ginny's words were respectfully still covered despite her disheveled state. But Harry's pants had been ripped by the basilisk and now his words were on display. They'd been so angry since last year and for a moment he thought they'd turned red. Harry shuffled weakly as Riddle stared at his legs, taking in the shifting screams and the _WHY WON'T YOU DIE_ that stood prominently along his left calf.

Dumbledore had pulled him aside after first year. After Madame Pomphrey had seen his second words and notified the headmaster. He'd never wanted anyone to know how much his soulmate hated him. How much of a _freak_ he was. But the headmaster had told him of his tie to Voldemort. About his scar and his soulmate and how he would always be tied to the man but that didn't mean his life was over. He had tried to sound optimistic for Harry's sake but all the boy could think was how much his soulmate wanted him _dead_. He knew the other hated him but to know that his soulmate wanted him to _die_ was something else entirely. And now his soulmate was staring at his second words, well a version of his soulmate.

Tom Riddle stared at the other's words in shock. He knew some people were rejected by their soulmate but usually those words had turned red. But Harry Potter's words were still black. Despite each hateful remark he could see on the other's skin his words were still black. His soulmate knew who he was, they had to if they were thinking such awful things about Harry. For a moment, pity welled in the teenage horcrux until Harry Potter opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-." Harry looked down at his feet, trying to stave off the tears that threatened to fall down his face. "I'm sorry I'm not good enough."

Tom Riddle stared at the boy in horror. He didn't need to check, didn't even need to _look_ to know that his words reflected the boy's speech exactly. How often had he watched those very words appear on his skin? How often had he seen his soulmate apologize before he even met them? And now he could see them. This small little boy with hate spilling down his legs and tears in his eyes. What had he done to this boy? What had he done to his _soulmate_?

* * *

Harry sniffled, shuffling his legs closer together. He was so _stupid_. Not only could his soulmate see his words, the same hate the other had to be thinking about him, but he hadn't even saved Ginny. The witch was still on the floor, delicately placed and Harry knelt next to her. He was such an idiot for thinking he could do anything to save her. Do anything to stop his soulmate.

He peeked up at his soulmate, watching the anger and horror spread across the man's face and reflexively flinched. He knew that look. Aunt Petunia would always have the same look whenever Uncle Vernon punished him.

"I'm sorry." Tom growled and Harry hunched his shoulders further, another apology ready on his lips.

"Don't you _dare_ apologize again." There was an audible click as Harry snapped his mouth shut, swallowing his words. He kept his eyes trained on the ground. There was no use in pretending to be brave in front of his soulmate. It's not like he would care. Tom had started pacing before him, angry strides walking up and down the small length of the stone walkway before them. Harry curled his shoulders closer to himself, knowing that fully curling up into a ball would probably make his soulmate angry. Why did he think he would be able to save anyone? Ron probably thought he was dead and had gotten the headmaster to come save him and Ginny.

The headmaster!

Harry's head surged up as he thought of the man. The headmaster would come to get him and Ginny and then everything would be okay. Ginny would be safe and his soulmate wouldn't have to see him again. Harry looked up as Tom stalked closer to him, gripping his chin tightly.

"You are coming with me." Harry nodded blankly. What could he say? No?

Tom nodded to himself and stood to his full height. He hissed at the basilisk and Harry caught the words sleep and return before tuning the other out. His soulmate was _taking_ him. Taking him away from Hogwarts and Harry was doing nothing to stop him. Deep down Harry knew that he would do anything his soulmate wanted but right now he was riddled with guilt. He spared one last look at Ginny's body, sending her another apology before turning back to his soulmate. Harry would got to the ends of the earth for this man, no matter how much the other hated him.

* * *

Written for Jojo in the Tom/Harry Discord!

Prompt: Soulmate AU. One where the first thing someone thinks about their soulmate is tattooed on their body when they first meet them, as is their last. Soulmates have a permanent tattoo on their body forever marked with their first thoughts, and one that is constantly changing forever after. Harry has one tattoo marked on his body that just says "I'm sorry" and another that keeps changing into new ways to kill him.

Now has a sequel! Check out Sincerest Apologies!


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